On Thursday, March 7th, the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee will hear LB 381. This bill would require citizens to show government issued identification in order to vote. Nebraskans for Civic Reform along with over 25 Nebraska organizations stand united (see list below) in opposition to legislation that would infringe on the fundamental right to vote.

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Nebraska City News-Press - Nebraska City, NE

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Posted Mar. 7, 2013 at 8:43 AM
Updated Mar 7, 2013 at 8:45 AM

Posted Mar. 7, 2013 at 8:43 AM
Updated Mar 7, 2013 at 8:45 AM

Lincoln

On Thursday, March 7th, the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee will hear LB 381. This bill would require citizens to show government issued identification in order to vote. Nebraskans for Civic Reform along with over 25 Nebraska organizations stand united (see list below) in opposition to legislation that would infringe on the fundamental right to vote.

Voter ID disproportionately impacts youth, seniors, low-income, and citizens with disabilities' right to vote. A valid ID is not only a driver’s license that is unexpired, but also one that has the individual’s current home address on it. For highly mobile populations such as students and low-income Nebraskans, this means purchasing a new ID each time they move. For people with disabilities and seniors, they often already have a difficult time getting around. Voter ID places a burden on these Nebraskans to go to a DMV to renew a license they may no longer use in order to exercise their fundamental right to vote. In addition, voter ID would also negatively impact rural Nebraskans whose DMV's are not open on a regular basis.

Voter ID only protects against voter impersonation, which both the introducer of the legislation and the Secretary of State have admitted is not a problem in Nebraska.

“This voting rights coalition of over twenty-five Nebraska organizations oppose LB 381 because it is costly, disproportionately impacts seniors, students, and people with low-incomes or disabilities, and is a solution to a non-existent problem that even the introducer has admitted there is no evidence of.” stated Adam Morfeld, executive director of Nebraskans for Civic Reform.